Solhara
Solhara, officially the Sultanate of Solhara, is a peninsular kingdom in the southwest of Ga'leah, bordered on three sides by the sea and by the Hyadies, Ga’Leah’s largest mountain range, to the north. It is ruled by Sultan Shaharyar Nejem, who resides in the capital city, Zabier. Zabier is located a short distance south of the Hyadies and serves as the gateway to the south. Northerners rarely travel further south than Zabier, however, as the desert is extremely punishing and rife with dangers. Zabier is the only major city in Solhara. The Eastern Villages house a few dozen to a hundred each, and there is no record of how many inhabit the Oasis. The lagoons to the west are scarcely visited due to health hazards brought on by a large mosquito population. Most of Solhara’s population outside of Zabier can be found in small nomadic tribes. Some tribes make a living raiding, while others trade in trinkets scavenged from ancient ruins. In recent years, most of Solhara’s tribal groups have been tracked and censused to ensure their taxes are paid to the crown. History History coming soon. Geography Solhara's climate is extremely hot and arid, in most places, with wide swaths of desert covering the vast majority of the kingdom. Other ecoregions of note include a lagoonal area on the western coast (Malaria drove out the inhabitants of this area and it now lays abandoned), rocky cliffs on the eastern coast, and a rich, plentiful, isolated jungle to the extreme south known as the Oasis. Northern Solhara has a long dry season, which continues through the winter, and a wet season, which begins when the Hyadies thaw and the alluvial fans north of Zabier turn to wide swaths of treacherous quicksand. The subsequent evaporation encourages further storms, which primarily affect the western coast, although Zabier and the eastern villages also receive rainfall during this time. During the wet season, Zabieri masons lay cobblestone streets to aid runoff and prevent hazardous conditions. The wet season lasts approximately two months, after which the storms dissipate and the dry season begins again. Southern Solhara does not have a wet season. Politics Politics coming soon. Economy Economy coming soon. Culture Due to the extremely isolated nature of Solhara's communities, there are several distinct cultures in Solhara. The Eastern Villages, known for their exports of fish, rice, porcelain, jade, and raw silk, are predominantly populated by simple laborers. All pay homage to the capital of Zabier and the Sultan, with a strong cultural emphasis on honor and respect. Individuality is often frowned-upon here, and this emphasis on tradition over self-identity is even exercised in recreational time , where it is often put to use perfecting martial techniques through rigorous master-apprentice training and the teaching of martial forms. The laborers of the Eastern Villages eagerly conscript themselves into the service of the Sultan, and are some of the most formidable units in the armies of Solhara. The Powhatan tribe, native to the Oasis, lives in extreme isolation from the rest of inhabited Solhara, and thus receives little information about the outside world. Focused heavily on reverence for the gods, respect for nature and simple living, the Powhatan culture appears rustic and backwater to those with little understanding of their ways. Farming the orchards of the Oasis and hunting animals with bow and arrow, atlatl, and stone- or bone-hewn weaponry, the Powhatan contribute nothing to the outside world, and rarely interact with it, for fear of losing the blessing of the Green Man. When provoked by intruders, however, Powhatan warriors are vicious, unrelenting foes, zealously willing to lay down their lives to protect their home.